Latest figures show growing success for Recycle Now Week

The campaign organiser told letsrecycle.com today (August 23, 2007), that despite being criticised by the recovered paper sector body Paperchain, in June for not stressing the importance of quality to recycling (see letsrecycle.com story), the campaign saw almost 50% more local authorities organising recycling initiatives – with 170 regional events taking place.

According to WRAP's latest newsletter – put out to encourage more councils to join the campaign – The Recycle Now website received 57,000 hits between June 2 and June 8. The public face of the campaign, celebrity TV presenter Denise Van Outen, was interviewed such as the Daily Telegraph's and BBC online.

Fridey Cordingley, head of Recycle Now at WRAP, said: “The number of local authorities who are holding events as part of Recycle Now Week has increased by 42% from last year, which is fantastic as work at local level feeds into the national picture. We have also had great success with media coverage.

“I do not think that the withdrawal of Paperchain damaged the campaign overall but it would be great if they could be involved in future and we are in conversations with them,” she added.

Campaigns 

During Recycle Now Week 2007, from June 2 to June 8, Recycle Western Riverside Authority encouraged residents in South and West London to recycle through an advertising campaign which reached over half a million residents.

Other initiatives included Shrewsbury council teaming up with BBC Shropshire to help school pupils make musical instruments out of waste – which were then played on BBC radio Shropshire.

WRAP claims that 60 million opportunities were created for people to see the campaign and its “transform something today” message.

Ms Cordingley said she believed the increasing success of the campaign derived from increasing national interest in recycling and added: “It is the fourth year of the campaign now and it has got a good name for itself. There are national messages out there and it has become a main event in the calendar.”